1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to covers and protectors for various articles, and more specifically to a slipcover for an article of furniture known as a glider rocker. At least one embodiment of the present slipcover is specifically adapted for use with glider rockers, and may include a matching cover for a mating ottoman. The cover may include a permanently affixed or removable moisture repellent liner, removably attachable pillow and pocket, and other features.
2. Description of the Related Art
The glider rocker has become a popular article of furniture, particularly for new mothers who are nursing their infants. The smooth gliding action of such rockers is quite soothing, not only to the infant, but also to the mother as well. Such rockers are also commonly provided with mating or matching ottomans, which include the same gliding action.
However, such rockers and ottomans are not provided with any form of slipcover or other protection at the time of manufacture or sale. While they may include conventional upholstery fabric covers for the cushions of the rocker, no other protection for the cushions is provided. Moreover, the conventional upholstery material used to cover such conventional cushions, is not removable from the cushions. While treating such material with a moisture or stain repellent material may be accomplished, such moisture and stain repellents do not provide the protection that a complete, moistureproof overlying slipcover provides. Moreover, when one purchases such furniture, one is limited to the style, color, and/or pattern of the permanent upholstery fabric of the cushions provided with the furniture. If a person wishes to change the decor at a later date, he or she must purchase new cushions, as the upholstery fabric of such cushions is not removable.
Accordingly, a need will be seen for a slipcover for glider rockers, which may be removably installed over the structure and existing upholstery and cushions of an existing glider rocker. The slipcover may include a permanent or removable moisture barrier on the underside thereof, as well as at least one removably attachable storage pocket, at least one removably attachable pillow, and other features. A matching ottoman cover may also be provided. The slipcover may be adapted to other articles of furniture as well.
A discussion of the related art of which the present inventor is aware, and its differences and distinctions from the present invention, is provided below.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,266,841 issued on Aug. 16, 1966 to Gustave Altman, titled "Protective Cover Having Means For Releasibly Securing It To A Surface," describes the attachment of a relatively small cover to the underlying portion of a chair, by means of mating hook and loop fastening material (e.g., Velcro, tm) disposed on the underside of the cover and on the attachment area of the chair. Altman does not disclose a full cover for the chair, nor a matching cover for an accompanying ottoman, as provided by the present slipcover. Moreover, Altman does not provide any additional features, such as a moisture repellent lining, attachable pockets or pillows, etc., as provided by the present invention. Altman requires the article of furniture to which his cover is to be attached, to have some permanently installed mating attachment means. The present slipcover does not require any modification to the furniture to which it is installed.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,610,685 issued on Oct. 5, 1971 to Ralph B. Lay, titled "Backrest Pad," describes an upholstered pad with extension flaps having snap fasteners thereon, for securing about the horizontal members of a conventional chair (e.g., kitchen chair or the like). The device is not flexible, as is the present slipcover, due to the rigid panel enclosed within the assembly. Lay makes no provision for covering the entire chair, nor does he provide a matching cover for an accompanying ottoman or footrest, as provided by the present invention. Lay does not provide a fabric cover with moistureproof lining, as in the present invention, but instead uses a vinyl outer covering.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,916,447 issued on Nov. 4, 1975 to Lenore E. Thompson, titled "Low Cost, Absorbent, Clinging, Aqueous Liquid Barrier Protective Covering," describes a disposable sheet material having a clinging material on one side thereof and an opposite fibrous moistureproof barrier material. The material is inexpensive and disposable, unlike the relatively non-disposable, permanent cover of the present invention. Thompson does not disclose any means of forming the sheet to mate with the contours of an article of furniture, as provided by the present slipcover, nor does she disclose any other attachment means other than the clinging nature of the material. No removably attachable pockets or pillows are disclosed by Thompson, as provided by the present invention.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,553,785 issued on Nov. 19, 1985 to George B. Duke, Jr. et al., titled "Lounge Chair Cover," describes a cover formed of a terrycloth material and adapted to fit closely about the chair. No moisture repellent means is disclosed by Duke, Jr. et al. for their chair cover, and in fact the terrycloth material used is known for its moisture absorbent properties, rather than being moisture repellent. Duke, Jr. et al. provide a removable pillow, but the pillow is held in place by means of permanently installed straps at the head area of the cover, rather than using hook and loop fastening means, as in the present slipcover. Duke, Jr. et al. also provide pockets along the side of their cover, but the pockets are permanently installed, rather than being removable, as in the present invention.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,725,094 issued on Feb. 16, 1988 to Stephen I. Greer, titled "Expandable Terry Cloth Sand Or Lawn Chair Cover Having Integrally Formed Pockets," describes a cover having a removably installable pillow and pockets. However, the Greer pillow installs between the cover and underlying chair when used as a headrest, thus requiring the cover to be removed partially for installation of the pillow. Also, the Greer pockets are permanently installed, unlike the removable pocket arrangement of the present cover. Moreover, the Greer cover is formed of absorbent terrycloth material and no moisture barrier is disclosed, whereas the present cover incorporates a moisture repellent barrier beneath the outer cover material.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,877,288 issued on Oct. 31, 1989 to Susan Lee, titled "Lounge Chair Cover," describes a fabric cover similar to the Duke, Jr. et al. cover discussed further above. Lee describes her cover as being formed of fabric, and does not disclose any underlying moisture barrier, as provided in the present invention. Fabric is well known for absorbing moisture, and this is desirable in the lounge chair covers of Duke, Jr. et al., Greer, and Lee, where such chairs are commonly used near the water and an absorbent material is desired. Lee also provides concealed pockets, which may be desirable out of doors, but cannot be accessed readily from a seated position, as is desirable. The Lee pockets, as well as the pillow provided, are not removable from the remainder of the cover, as in the present slip cover invention.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,892,353 issued on Jan. 9, 1990 to Dan J. Goddard, titled "Cover For Lounge Chair," describes a moisture absorbent terrycloth cover similar to the Duke, Jr. et al. cover discussed further above. Goddard provides pockets at various locations in his cover, but none of the pockets are removable, as in the present slip cover invention. Goddard does not provide any pillow means, removable or otherwise, in his cover. As in the other terrycloth covers described above, the moisture absorbent nature of the terrycloth material teaches away from the moisture repellent barrier provided with the present cover. Also, as in the case of all the other covers of which the present inventor is aware, no accompanying cover is provided for an accompanying article of furniture, such as an ottoman, as provided by the present slipcover invention.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,203,611 issued on Apr. 20, 1993 to Mark H. Greenwood, titled "Infant Bounce And Rocking Chair," describes a cover for either end of a frame having opposite generally U-shaped portions. The cover includes an inherent pocket, but as in most of the other covers described further above, the pocket installs over the frame of the chair, and cannot be used for the storage of other articles therein. The inherent pocket is not removable from the cover, as in the case of the present cover with removable pocket. No pillow means, removable or otherwise, is disclosed by Greenwood. Also, Greenwood describes the cover as being formed of a fabric material, but he does not note any moisture repellent properties for his cover, as provided by the present slipcover invention.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,275,463 issued on Jan. 4, 1994 to Nicasio I. Rocha, titled "Cover For Lounge Chair," describes a terrycloth fabric cover having permanently installed side and head pocket areas, with the head pocket being usable as a pillow. None of the pockets or pillow means are detachable from the cover, as provided by the present invention. The moisture absorbent material of the Rocha cover is unlike the present cover, with its moisture repellent barrier. As in other prior art, Rocha does not disclose any additional cover means for an accompanying article of furniture, as provided by the present slip cover invention.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,326,152 issued on Jul. 5, 1994 to Richard K. Baron, titled "Folding Lawn Chair Cover," describes a cover formed of terrycloth, cotton, or polyester material. Baron does not disclose any moisture repellent means for his cover, as provided by the underlying moistureproof barrier of the present cover. Also, while Baron describes a pocket and pillow with his cover, the pocket is on the back of the backrest portion, where it is inaccessible by a seated person. Neither the pocket nor the pillow of the Baron cover is removably installable, as in the case of the pocket and pillow of the present slipcover invention. As in the case of the other prior art covers described herein, Baron does not provide any additional cover means for an accompanying ottoman or footrest, as provided by the present slipcover invention.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,620,229 issued on Apr. 15, 1997 to Janet K. Ledford, titled "Combination Carrying Bag, Cover And Accessory Storage For A Portable Folding Lounge," describes a cover including a permanently installed pocket or pockets along one edge thereof. The pockets are not removable, nor does Ledford disclose any form of pillow, either permanently installed or detachable, for his cover. Ledford describes the material used as being water repellent, and describes the coating of any fabrics which would otherwise not be water repellent. The present invention utilizes a separate moisture repellent barrier sheet beneath the fabric cover, unlike Ledford. Again, no additional cover for an accompanying article of furniture is provided by Ledford, as is provided by the present invention.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,690,380 issued to Abby Waters on Nov. 25, 1997, titled "Slipcovers With Interchangeable Trim," describes slipcovers for conventional chairs, with the covers including means for exchanging various trim articles which may be removably attached to various areas thereof. No external storage pockets for the storage of various articles therein are provided, nor is any permanently or removably installed pillow provided in this patent previously issued to the present inventor. No mention is made of any moisture repellent properties, either of the cover itself, or of any underlying sheet permanently or removably secured to the overlying cover, as provided by the present invention. No separate cover for covering an associated article of furniture, such as an ottoman or footrest, is disclosed in the '380 U.S. Patent.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,802,643 issued on Sep. 8, 1998 to Alexander Sloot, titled "Slipcover With An Inflatable Pillow," describes a partial cover for placement over the headrest of a lounge chair. The cover comprises a pocket for placement over the back of the chair, with one side of the cover forming a headrest portion and the opposite side serving as the retaining member across the back of the chair. The cover is formed of an air and water tight layer with a fabric exterior layer thereover. The air and watertight layer is doubled in the area of the pillow to provide for inflation. This construction results in a permanently and immovably installed pillow, unlike the removable pillow of the present slip cover invention. Moreover, Sloot does not provide a storage pocket, either permanently installed or removable, for various accessories for a person seated in a chair using his cover.
French Patent Publication No. 1,476,777 published on Mar. 6, 1967 to Florimond Baert illustrates an armchair having an integral pocket formed to the outside of the right arm thereof. No slipcover is apparent in the French Patent Publication.
Finally, British Patent Publication No. 1,143,275 published on Feb. 19, 1969 to Customagic Manufacturing Co., Ltd., describes a slipcover formed of a knitted fabric material for covering an open arm type chair. The material used is described as a knitted fabric, not known for water repellent properties. No pockets or pillows are disclosed in the British Patent Publication.
None of the above inventions and patents, either singly or in combination, is seen to describe the instant invention as claimed.